Here are some resources for cleaning up your footprint on the earth and reducing waste within your business.
- Keep the Sierra Green - www.keepthesierragreen.org – A certifying agency with a list of things to do to make your business green enough to be certified by them.
- Sierra Commons – www.sierracommons.org - Why waste space and resources when you can share them with others! Rent a desk space by the month.
Sierra Commons is a business incubator providing a platform for entrepreneurs and small businesses to commercialize and market their products and services. We are conveniently located in downtown Nevada City, Calif. on the third floor of the historic Stonehouse.
Our primary goal is to support emerging businesses. We do this by providing turn-key infrastructure for member businesses, and by building community and business acumen through peer mentoring and networking. We are here to help strengthen the local economy through job creation, retention, and increased local revenues.
The mission of Sierra Commons is to enable sustainable economic development in Nevada County by supporting emerging businesses compatible with the interests of the community. 107 Sacramento St., Suite 300, Nevada City, CA 95959. (530) 265-8443 office/fax
- Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency - http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?CurrentPageID=1&State=CA&RE=1&EE=1 - See what incentives there are for you in your area – Established in 1995, the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DSIRE) is an ongoing project of the North Carolina Solar Center and the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). It is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), primarily through the Office of Planning, Budget and Analysis (PBA). The site is administered by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), which is operated for DOE by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.
- Re-cycled Content Product Directory - http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/RCP/ – This directory has been set up to assist individuals, small business owners, state agencies, and corporate buyers in the commitment to buy recycled. The RCP Directory lists thousands of products containing recycled materials as well as information about the manufacturers, distributors and re-processors of these products.
Although important, recycling is more than just dropping off cans, bottles and newspapers at the nearest recycling center. Diverting recyclables from the waste stream is the first of three steps in the recycling process. The second step occurs when companies use these recyclables to manufacture new products. Finally, the third step occurs when you, the consumer, purchase the products made from the recovered materials.
In addition, buying recycled products results in many environmental benefits. It supports local recycling programs by creating markets for the collected materials that are processed and used to manufacture new products. In turn, this creates new jobs and helps strengthen the economy; conserves natural resources; saves energy; and reduces solid waste, air, and water pollutants, and greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming.
- American Hotel and Lodging Association – Good Earthkeeping Program - http://www.ahla.com/content.aspx?id=3934&terms=Good+Earthkeeping+program - AH&LA’s Good Earthkeeping program provides tools and resources to help you improve the energy and financial performance of your hotels. The campaign, which is a partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR, enables hoteliers to create a comprehensive strategic approach to energy management that assesses current energy performance, sets goals, and tracks savings.The hospitality industry spends $3.7 billion a year on energy, yet much of this goes to waste. Demonstrate a commitment to the environment and your bottom line by participating in Good Earthkeeping:
